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Itaipu produces 24,7 million MWh and has the best trimester in history

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20/04/2012

After registering the best bimester in its whole history, Itaipu broke another record of power generating in 2012. From January to the end of March, the hydroelectric power station produced a total amount of 24.720.761 MWh. It was the best quarter since the facility started operating, even overcoming the power generation of the three first months of 2008, when Itaipu broke the annual production record, in a total amount of 94,6 million MWh. During the three first months of that year, 23.471.837 MWh were produced.

The 24.720.761 MWh would be enough to supply a country as big as Paraguay for 2 years and 2 months. This amount could supply the demand of a city as big as Curitiba for 5 years, Paraná State for a year, the South region of Brazil for 4 months and the city of São Paulo for 10 months.

In 2012, Itaipu has already overcome three marks: The facility had a historic January, and the best bimester and trimester of all times. During the first 2 months of the country, the plant produced 16.376.535 MWh.

Comparatives

According to data disclosed this Monday (2nd) by the Programming and Statistics Division of Itaipu, the generation in the three first months of 2012 also grew, related to the same period of last year. In January, February and March of 2011, the facility generated a total amount of 23.025.990 MWh. The increase is 7,4%. The 1.694.771 MWh overproduced would be enough to attend the demand of a city big as Curitiba for 120 days.

Another important thing is that the positive result of the trimester is followed by another good news: The coming back of the generator unit 06 (U6), in March, 20th. With the U6 reconnected to the electric system, Itaipu is back to having its 20 generator units. Together, they add up to an installed power of 14 thousand MW.

The good performance in the quarter and the return to operation of U6 make the technical part of the plant even more optimistic. Itaipu has, as a goal and challenge, to overcome the production of 2008 and to get to the next years to the point of 100 million MWh. In 2011, Itaipu attended 17% of the Brazilian demand and 73% of Paraguay.

The Brazilian CEO of Itaipu, Jorge Samek, who also accumulates the position of technical officer, celebrated the result of the trimester. According to him, the current hydrologic conditions have been favorable during the first months of the year. Another important factor is that the demand for power is still strong, in Brazil as well in Paraguay, both partners in the project. A daily reflex of the positive economic scenery of both countries.

Samek also highlighted that the excellence of the operation and maintenance of the facility, trade mark in Itaipu, has contributed for this good performance. The investments in the electrical field are even more robust. For example, the construction of a transmission line of 500 kV, connecting Itaipu to Asunción; the reinforcement line Furnas did, in the substations of ManoelRibas (best known as Ivaiporã) and Itaberá; and the start of operation of a line in Copel, also of 500 kV, between Foz do Iguaçu and Cascavel.

Integrated System

For Celso Torino, Operation Chief Officer, the new record (trimestral) is the product of a number of factors added up. On top of them, is the biggest power demand through Brazil and Paraguay. “The countries are growing, so is the power demand”, he explains.

Another topic highlighted by the chief officer is the integrated action of Itaipu, Eletrobras, Ande (Paraguay), ONS (Brazil), Furnas and Copel. “These companies work in a coordinated way, in a transverse line. The power generation starts in the management of Rio Paraná water, goes through our generating units, continues on our transmission lines and ends in the power consumption of Brazil and Paraguay”, said Torino.

The chief officer added that the trimester record is a group achievement, and Itaipu group has done its part with excellence.